Tag Archives: give

In the footstep of children

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On a typical Sunday morning, after worship and the sermon, the people of our wee congregation tend to do their thing and, you know, congregate.  Unlike days of old where you attended Sunday morning, Sunday evening, Wednesday evening, and—on good weeks—revival meeting Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings … we have but one day a week to see one another and catch up.  It takes time, don’t you know.

But not yesterday.  Yesterday was an exodus like none other.  After all, we had to make it downstairs for Hannah and Sasha’s Super Sale, where, as Hannah so aptly put it, “People [were] going crazy!”

Could you blame us?  There was handmade jewelry, flower magnets, notecards—there was a raffle—there were chocolate chip cookies and pies.  Oh, the pies!  You know that wedding banquet of which the Bible speaks? That pie is bound to be on the menu.  Pretty sure.

It was a grand time—and all because one Little Miss got together with another Little Miss, and decided they wanted to raise money for those in need.  If it weren’t for them, us adults would have done as we do each week.  We would have chatted a bit—then promptly took our quarters and dollar bills home.  After all, what good could chump change do?

I dare say, we’ll never find out if we don’t have the faith of a child.

You see, sometimes the smallest shoes make the biggest prints … sometimes breaking bread comes in the form of chatter over a slice of chocolate cream pie … sometimes all we have to give is a pittance and sometimes that’s more than enough.

Choosing to give

I made the decision last week that I simply had to give a little in regard to my junk food fetish.  My wallet nor the butt of my pants can take no more. 

As my last hooray I ran to Starbucks for a tall caramel macchiato and a blueberry scone …oh, their blueberry scones … so fresh and delectable.  Just typing the words makes me hungry.  Addiction is a horrible thing. 

But I digress …

So, Starbucks … I pull up to the window and the barista says, “I’m kinda sad.”  Oh dear.  Given the fact that total strangers have a tendency to come up to me and tell me their life stories, I was a little concerned to hear what might come next.  Alas, it was only that the person in front of me refused to pay for my order.  Earlier that morning, you see, a gentleman had offered to pay for the person behind him … and it carried on for 14 cars. Until the car in front of me, pulled up … and the owner discovered I had ordered a scone as well as coffee.  Certainly not! 

It made me laugh. 

It also made me ponder giving, and all it entails.  Giving requires sacrifice–the offering of  your time, money, or belongings.  True giving is also a matter of the heart.  How many of those people in those cars that day paid for the person behind them out of guilt? And by turning around and immediately paying for the order behind them, were they truly accepting the gift that was offered them? 

Deep thoughts, non?  That’s what a caramel macchiato will do for you … perhaps I was a tad hasty in giving them up …

*For the record, thank you for all your comments over the last … however long.  I’m totally not ignoring you.  I have responded here and there … but I just realized most haven’t been sticking.   I typed, I clicked post, and then they disappear into the great abyss.  Sigh.  Yeah, I don’t know either; but I’m working on it!

Shoebox countdown!

Well, have you packed your shoeboxes? 

GASP! What do you mean you haven’t a clue what I’m talking about?!  

I’m talking Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child, of course!  Where you take a shoebox, wrap it if  you will, stuff with treasure, slap on a tag, add a bit of  shipping money and send it on it’s way … to little elves {or volunteers, as the case may be} who prepare it to be shipped, flown, and packed to children throughout the world.

And if you donate shipping fees online, you can even print off a special label–allowing you to track your box.

It’s a personal way to give–and heaps of fun too. 

Click here to read all about it–watch videos {maybe shed a tear or two}, get ideas of what to pack, print labels, and find drop-off locations. 

But hurry!  National Collection Week is this week … don’t let your shoesbox miss the boat.  That would just be sad all the way around …

Free piggies, unite!

Tomorrow, my friends, is the day – the day to leave your shoes behind …

And it’s all to help TOMS Shoes raise awareness.  Life without shoes, you see, is difficult. Take Ethiopia – in Ethiopia, some one million people suffer from Podoconiosis, a debilitating and disfiguring disease caused by walking barefoot in the volcanic soil.  

So tomorrow, join the cause.  Go without shoes, for an hour or all day.  Buy a pair of TOMS; help provide a pair for someone in need.  Be one person doing something little – so together, we might do something big!

Addie’s Art for Africa

In keeping with my apparent theme …

As you may recall, last year – around this time – I decided to join an exercise group.  For however-many months I lumbered through pilates, nearly broke my neck attempting yoga poses, and was otherwise every degree of pitiful.  Caycee was one of the regulars.  We would finish a particularly grueling something-or-other and I’d be cursing the wretched fates that would cause such pain and misery, while Caycee exclaimed something along the lines of,  “That was awesome!”  In other words, where I was the rain cloud, Caycee was the ray of sunshine. 

For this reason alone, Caycee is deserving of a little something.  But there’s more …

I recently found out Caycee and her family have started the adoption process for a little girl in Ethiopia.  Now I have many friends who have adopted – and each journey to a little someone is nothing short of a miracle.  But this story especially touched my heart… 

Addie is working to bring her little sister home and, once that’s done, continue to bless Africa.  There are several ways you can help:  1) donate bottle caps; 2) donate your own bottle cap magnets; 3) purchase a bottle cap magnet (when available). 

I think you’ll find Addie’s Art for Africa is an exciting opportunity for us all.  After all, little hands have a miraculous way of doing great things … 

{Click pic to learn more about Addie's Art for Africa}